How To Eat Clean & Still Relish Your Meal

So, every year most of us make a resolution to hit the gym and eat clean…I remember cleaning up my shelves just so that I don’t get tempted to eat the extravaganzas that would eventually show around my tummy.

Hey people! I am …Tanya…, a fitness jock committed to never salivating over food. Now, believe me when I say to you I am one of you – I could be sitting right next to you while you’re reading my article because… I am one of all’s kind who has had her share of overeating, emotional eating and overindulging in the best of cuisines.

How To Eat Clean & Still Relish Your Meal

First things first, I am a fitness writer and with that said I have an itch for three things – fitness, research and writing! If you are wondering why I am saying this, it is because I want you to know that what I’m going to put across through my blogs is not the methodical advice that you’d usually read on the content online, all of my writings come from personal experiences and tips that are tried and tested.

how little do I eat?

I’ll begin with the commonest question I come across while speaking with friends, acquaintance and my online followers from Social Media that how little do I eat? Or what is it that I have discarded from my eating regime? The worse is no one believes my answer which is NOTHING! Earlier when I began ‘dieting’that is very nicely fabricated and synonymized with starving; I realized I was losing something and that ‘something’ was everything other than my weight. I lost my energy, strength and enthusiasm to complete simple tasks which lead me to stop and dig deeper than the visible surface.

So, what does it mean to eat clean? It just means you have to scrap your transfats (i.e. tailored foods from joints)and turn towards consuming natural sources such as fruits, veggies and nuts. Diets are actually all about eating and when I say eating you have to be nibbling on something every 2 hours. Astonished, are you? There’s more to come…You can carry a pocket full of dates, cashews, almonds and raisins. Obviously, we ain’t going over the board with them but popping two of three nuts every now and then when hunger strikes. Now, this practice not only works well to control your hunger pangs but it also keeps you fit as a fiddle for good.

Now, I’m going to share with you three of my favourite meals that I luxuriate in and that are a part of my healthy and clean eating mechanism.

Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Sauce

I am a hardcore non-vegetarian and with that said I cannot go a day without having portions of non-veg. I usually prefer consuming Chicken with Brussels Sprouts with a ting of Mustard Sauce. This dish works well for those who crave food that tickles the taste buds before they fall asleep (mind you I am one of them). All you’ve got to do is get,

3 ounces of boneless chicken breast split in halves

6 ounces of Brussels Sprouts – trimmed and halved

1 and a half tablespoon Olive Oil (divided)

1 tablespoon butter (undivided) and whole-grain mustard – each

1/2 cup fat free chicken broth with low sodium (divided)

1/4 cup apple cider (unfiltered)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salt as per your taste

Meal Prep: Preheat the oven on 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Put a large pan over the gas on the highest heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.Add chicken seasoned with salt and pepper to the pan. Twist, turn and twirl it over the pan and cook it for about 3 to 4 minutes. Thereafter, bake it for 10 minutes and take it off the pan.

Boil 1/2 a cup broth over medium temperature for a minute or two and lower the heat for the next 4 minutes. Blend the mustard, butter (1 tbs) and parsley. Heat a tablespoon of oil and butter each in a non-sticky pan over medium heat and add the Brussels Sprouts and sauté for 120 seconds. And, then add salt and broth to the pan.

Allow it to cook until it gets crispy. Serve the sprouts with sauce and chicken.

Prep Time: 30 to 40 minutes

Servings: 2

Calorie Intake: 350

Braised Cauliflower & Squash Penne Pasta

Now, most of my friends are Veggies and that gives me an opportunity to experiment new dishes that do not include meat. Braised Cauliflower & Squash Penne Pasta is one of the fewest dishes I do without non-veg and every sense in my body thanks me for it.

For this dish following are the ingredients you will need,

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 large minced cloves garlic

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 cups of vegetable broth

3 cups of whole-wheat penne (8 ounces)

1-inch cauliflower florets (2 cups)

1-inch pieces peeled butternut squash (2 cups)

Freshly ground pepper (as per your choice)

¼ cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano Cheese

Meal Prep:Here you go, take a large saucepan and heat the extra-virgin olive oil in it. Add thyme, red pepper and garlic to it and cook it for 60 seconds. Now, add the broth along with penne, cauliflower and squash and boil it over maximum heat. Uncover the pasta and reduce the temperature of the heat for it to get tender and the liquid to get thick. This will take around 15 to 20 minutes. Switch off the heat and allow the Braised Cauliflower & Squash Penne Pasta to cool for 5 minutes.

Prep Time: 15 to 20 minutes

Servings: 1 1/2

Calorie Intake: 206

Black Bean Soup

If you are someone like me who is super lazy and finds shortcuts to prepare meals you’re definitely going to love what I’m going to share next, the Black Bean Soup. All you need is,

1 small chopped onion

3 cups of water

2 cans of rinsed black beans (15 ounces)

Salt as per your taste

1 tablespoon lime

1 tablespoon chilli powder

and 1 tablespoon ground cumin

Meal Prep:Add onions to a large pan with oil over medium heat and stir it till it softens for nearly 2 or 3 minutes. Add cumin and chilli powder and stir it for 60 seconds. Now, add the rinsed black beans to the pan and add salsa and salt as per your taste. Once it starts boiling lower the heat and simmer it for 10 minutes. Thereafter, switch off the heat and add lime to it. Stir well to blend the taste.Split half the soup into a blender and puree and stir it back into the saucepan. You may add sour cream and coriander for garnishing.

Prep Time: 30 to 40 minutes

Servings: 1 1/2

Calorie Intake: 322

Whoa! I am a sucker on delicious food and I do not keep myself away from anything that stimulates my taste buds. These three relishing recipes are not just healthy but easy to make, light on my stomach and helps you to eat clean and relish your meal. So, how about trying these and letting me know your experience on tasting these tongue-tickling meals. Keep Eating